Nokia Lumia 920

 

Pros:Sturdy Build; Beautiful design; Camera gets optical image stabilisation and does well in low light; Extremely responsive touchscreen; Sleek and fluid UI; Voice-guided sat nav that actually works; Rich social networking experience; Crisp display; Great sound quality.

Cons:No significant cons; Given the bulk, the battery life could have been better. Street Price: Approx. Rs 37,500 (€520)

Nokia's partnership with Microsoft could have gone either way; industry observers have been divided in opinion. Nokia's recent flagship devices have posed no real threat to the iPhone 4S / 5 and the myriad of Androids. But things look different now, with Windows Phone 8 and the latest high-end smartphone, the Lumia 920. Unlike Nokia's earlier top-of-the-line Windows Phone handsets, the Lumia 920 seems right from the word go. The spec sheet includes PureView camera tech, the tried-and-tested Snapdragon S4 chipset, PureMotion HD+ screen with high refresh rate, wireless (induction) charging, and more.

Review units were not available from Nokia at the time of launch, so we obtained one from the Netherlands.

The Bold And The Beautiful
There are no prizes for guessing that the Lumia 920 looks like an overgrown Lumia 800 — but that's not necessarily a bad thing. The phone's body is CNC-machined; each device is carved out of a single polycarbonate block. The result is a seamless unibody with no cuts or joints, save for the ports and buttons. The precision build and attention to detail is simply amazing. Another advantage of the coloured polycarbonate is that even if you manage to chip off a chunk from the Lumia 920, it will reveal the same colour underneath. This means you won't have to worry about your phone losing its colour.



With the Lumia series, Nokia brought back bright colours into fashion. HTC tried something similar with its Windows Phone 8X, but after seeing them both, I'd say the 920 is strikingly beautiful. Apart from the bold red (the piece we reviewed), yellow and white models sport a glossy finish. On the other hand, black, grey, and cyan (currently US exclusive) are matte.



After skipping the Lumia 900, the curved display is back with the 920, complementing the design. The use of metal near the 800's camera lens was tasteful, but with use, I found that it's prone to scratches. In the case of the Lumia 920, though, Nokia has retained the placement, replacing the metal with ceramic zirconium (the toughest ceramic commercially available). Nokia claims that this material is both scratch- and wear-resistant.



Instead of concentrating on merely slimming down the device, Nokia has been looking at ergonomics. The phone is thick, but due to its curved edges, it fits comfortably in your hand. Weight-wise, it's on the heavier side at around 185 grams.

Display
The handset features a 4.5" IPS screen labelled as PureMotion HD+ display by Nokia. The display's 1280 x 768 pixels offers a 15:9 ratio that neatly scales the old WP 7.5 apps in right proportion edge-to-edge. On the other hand, the HTC 8X with a 16:9 screen runs some older apps with a thin letterbox (vertical bars that are used to fit images of one aspect ratio onto a screen of a different aspect ratio).

The 920's screen has a pixel density of 332 ppi, which is in iPhone 5 territory (325 ppi). Sharpness is not an issue; thanks to the high 60 Hz refresh rate, anything that the screen displays — be it scrolling text or fancy transitions — looks good. Being an IPS panel, the screen offers wide viewing angles.

Nokia's ClearBlack technology, consisting of a sequence of polarising layers, eliminates reflections and delivers sunlight legibility. The screen also offers better contrast ratio than most IPS panels. The levels of blacks on the 920 are comparable to AMOLED panels, except when set to full brightness. While it's one of the best IPS panels I've seen on smartphones, I would have preferred an AMOLED screen on this phone.

There's been a lot hype surrounding Nokia's super-sensitive screen. After using the phone for a few days, I can confidently say it's one of the most responsive touchscreens available. Just like the iPhone 5's screen, it never missed an input. Even better, it's operable with pen, gloves, keys, fork, fingernails, and even a nail! This ability can come in handy in the northern parts of our country, where gloves are a must in winter. Finally, like any other high-end smartphone screen, this one is protected by Gorilla Glass 2.

Package, Basic Specs
There's nothing special in the Lumia 920's retail package. You get a USB cable, charger, and IEMs that match the colour of your of handset. But wait, where's my charging plate, Nokia? Too bad — it has to be bought separately.
The phone is powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon S4 chipset, featuring a dual-core 1.5 GHz CPU and Adreno 225 GPU. It has an 8.7 mp camera with dual-LED flash, Carl Zeiss optics, and Optical Image Stabilisation. Apart from that, you get a 4.5" IPS panel with pixel dimensions of 768x1280, 1 GB of RAM, and 32 GB internal storage. The detailed list of specs is at the end of this review.


Windows 8 With Nokia Exclusive Apps
With support for multi-core CPUs, the Windows Phone platform now performs even better. Thanks to a Snapdragon S4 chipset ticking inside the 920, the experience is as smooth as that of the iPhone 5. As already mentioned in oooour review of the HTC 8X, Microsoft has removed the unused space, often referred to as the gutter, from the homscreen. Users can now customise Live Tiles with three sizes to choose from. Other functionality upgrades include the addition of the mass storage mode and Bluetooth file sharing.



Kid's Corner, as its name suggests, lets you create a separate homescreen with restricted access for children. This way, you can also let other people check out your cool new phone without compromising your privacy. Minor changes include an improved lock screen that can display updates from apps, and pull background images from Bing and Facebook feeds.

One of the things I didn't like about HTC's 8X was its lacklustre maps app. In the 920's case though, you have the tried-and-tested Nokia Drive. The app allows you to download map data right on the device. Nokia offers maps for most countries; additionally, there's an option to download map data for an entire country as well as for individual states. For example, you can install the India (All) map, which is 553 MB in size, or opt for the Maharashtra/Goa map, that fits into 131 MB. Once you've downloaded the desired maps, you can avail free voice guided navigation in offline mode. The app is packed with features, and there's even an option to get voice instructions in many languages — including Hindi. The device's GPS performance is impressive; even in offline mode, it never took more than two minutes to lock onto satellites.



To top it off, Nokia offers an AR (Augmented Reality) app called City Lens that lets you find places of interest in a given locality. It helps you "see" where restaurants, theatres, train or bus stations, and shops are. It's like having HUD (Heads Up Display) in real life. What's more, it also displays the name of most residential buildings (at least in Mumbai)!



PhotoBeamer is another interesting app from Nokia that allows you to display your pictures on any web-enabled device. Fire up this app, and open the image gallery on your phone. Then visit photobeamer.com on a device where you wish to display the photograph, and simply point the phone camera at the QR code that appears on the website. The photos on your device get mirrored on the other device instantaneously. It's the fastest and easiest way to share your pictures on a bigger screen.

Coming to the subject of apps, Microsoft's Office Suite is impressive. The mobile version of IE10 is blazing fast at page rendering. If you own an Xbox 360, then Smart Glass is a must have app: It not only works as a controller for your console, but also comes in handy for text input. Bing is no match for Google, agreed. However, Bing Vision feature on Windows Phone is superb. Using the phone's camera, this app can scan QR codes, UPC codes, and even album art to provide additional information. My favourite feature is its ability to scan and translate one language to another within seconds. If you're in China, you can at least read billboards using this functionality.

Microsoft's Store, previously known as Marketplace, has around 125,000 apps, and is getting busier each passing day. As far as I'm concerned, most of the essential apps are available for all platforms anyway. Still, going by sheer numbers, it has a long way to go before catching up with Apple and Google's app repositories.

Multimedia
WP8's default music player offers a neat and clutter-free interface, but there are no equaliser settings. Nokia's Music app however does offer equaliser settings, and also comes with Dolby sound enhancement. The device's sound quality is great, and the bundled earphones are of good quality too. Just like the HTC's 8X, the Lumia 920 lacks FM radio (surprisingly, Nokia's official blog confirms that the FM tuner is present on the phone; we'll update when we have a clarification). The Snapdragon S4 takes care of MP4 and AVI videos up to 1080p — but MKV videos are still a no-go.
Camera
The 8.7 mp camera on the Lumia 920 isn't the fastest one around, but it's definitely one of the best. It offers Lenses, which are actually photo apps that can be integrated right into the camera's UI.  For example, a lens app called Smart Shot captures multiple photos and then allows you to choose and save the best one. There's an option to tap on a face and pick the frame where the person hasn't blinked. What's more, you can even delete a stranger who accidently walked into your group photo. Check out the screenshots below to see how it's done.



With Cinemagraph you can animate certain parts of an image. In simple words, it's like those animated photographs you can see in Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban. For best results, you need the most basic photography skill: Steady Hands. Once you click the photo, the software gives you areas that can be animated. If you're not happy with those suggestions, you can select the desired portions manually. Click here to view a sample.

Panorama is duly covered, and it does what it says. Its interface is better than what competing Android phones offer, yet it isn't as intuitive as the iPhone 5's panorama app. Check the gallery below for panorama and outdoor photography samples.

The Lumia 920 is capable of recording 1080p videos at 30 fps.

Most cellphone cameras (for that matter, point and shoots too, generally) falter in low light. The Lumia 920 does better here, thanks to OIS (Optical Image Stabilisation), which allows for a longer shutter duration without risking blur caused by shaky hands. We did a quick low-light test of this Lumia against today's most popular Android, the GALAXY S III, and here are the results:

Low light photo comparison (without flash).

Telephony And Messaging
People Hub is one of the selling points of WP handsets. Thanks to deep social networking integration, you can access all your contacts from Facebook, Windows Live, Twitter, and LinkedIn in one place. What's more, the soft keyboard is extremely responsive and is designed to minimise typos. Finally, the Lumia 920's network reception and call quality were good during our tests. (Do note that these tests are quite subjective.)

Battery
The phone packs in a 2000 mAh Li-Ion battery. In our 720p video loop test, it lasted around 6 hours and 30 minutes. Not spectacular, but better than the GALAXY SIII's 5 hours and 30 minutes. The fatboy pillow works as advertised — just place the Lumia 920 on it, and see your phone take a power nap. While it's not a necessity, it makes charging very convenient.

The Lumia 920's success is important for Nokia to get back in the smartphone arena. The company has put in a lot of effort, and it shows. Bold colours, beautiful design, and the outstanding camera set it apart from the current crop of smartphones. The UI is as fluid as iOS, and the number of features can be compared to that of any flagship Android phone. In short, with the Lumia 920, the Finnish manufacturer has delivered both style and substance.


Features: 5/5
Design And Build Quality: 4.5/5
Performance: 4.5/5
Value For Money: 4/5
Mojo: 5/5

Overall Rating: 4.5/5

• 4.5'' PureMotion HD+ IPS panel with pixel dimensions of 768x1280 (332 ppi), Corning's Gorilla Glass protection, 60 Hz refresh rate, Polarization filter, 600 nits of luminance.
• Dual-core 1.5 GHz Snapdragon S4 chipset, 1 GB of RAM.
• 8.7 mp auto-focus PureView camera with dual LED flash, Carl Zeiss Tessar optics, 1080p video recording.
• NFC, Bluetooth 3.1, Wi-Fi with hotspot support, GPS with offline navigation.
• 32 GB internal storage, 7 GB in SkyDrive (cloud storage).
• 2000 mAh battery, 17 hours of talk time for 2G (10 hours for 3G), 67 hours of music playback, 6 hours of video playback.
• 3.5 mm jack with Dolby sound enhancement, Micro-USB port.
• Micro-SIM, Quad-band GSM (850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz), Quad-band 3G (850, 900, 1900, 2100 MHz), Penta-band 4G LTE (800, 900, 1800, 2100, 2600 MHz).
• Windows Phone 8.

 SOURCE TECH TALKS

SAMSUNG GALAXY Grand

Samsung is on a mission to leave no screen size left untouched. Adding yet another model to an already crowded lineup, Samsung today announced its latest smartphone – the 5" GALAXY Grand. The screen is a TFT LCD with pixel dimensions of 480x800. On the imaging front it features an 8 mp camera at the rear and supports 1080p video recording. The front has a modest 2 mp camera for video calling.
The GALAXY Grand is powered by a 1.2 GHz dual-core processor, 1 GB RAM, 8 GB internal memory with support for micro-SD card slot and a 2100 mAh battery and has the usual connectivity options. It runs the somewhat new Android 4.1 (Jelly Bean) OS with Samsung TouchWiz UI skin on top of it. As seen with newer Samsung models, the GALAXY Grand will also have Samsung exclusive customisations such as S Voice, Direct Call and multi-window mode.
Screen size wise, the Grand with its 5" screen sits in between the 4.8" GALAXY S3 and the 5.55" GALAXY Note 2, but the rest of the specs are far lower than the S3 and the Note 2, leading us to believe that Samsung is trying to grab share in budget 'phablet' segment. The fact that the display is not touted to be anything spectacular (no SuperLCD, no AMOLED, just plain LCD) is another indication that this isn't a high-end device. Do the Mircomax A110 and similar 5" devices have cause for worry? Pricing will be the decider.
Here are the complete specs:

Samsung has two variants of the phone — dual-SIM (GT-I9082) and a single-SIM (GT-I9080). No brownie points to Samsung for the phone design as it is the usual you have to come to expect from them.

Ulike 2, 5MP front-facing camera

Chinese manufacturer OPPO has just released a new device called the Ulike 2. This beast features a 4.5-inch 960 x 540 LCD screen, 16GB of on-board storage and is powered by Ice Cream Sandwich. While the device doesn’t sound like anything too exciting, here’s the kicker– the device features a full-fledged 5MP front-facing camera complimented by items like a countdown timer and face slimming among other things. Pretty freakin’ impressive indeed, right?
In case you’re wondering— no, the device won’t break the bank too much. The device is available in Chinese markets for a mere $370 USD. It’s a fairly small price to pay for a device with a better FFC than most other devices, right?

Must Watch: Samsung Galaxy Note 2 Replaces The PC

WHAT NOTE CAN DO THAT IPHONE 5 CAN'T

Lava XOLO A800 With 4.5" Screen Launched For Rs 12,000

Lava started off its XOLO series with the X900, its first handset powered by an Intel processor. With a price tag of Rs 22,000, the handset failed to make an impact in the market. To make up for lost efforts, last month, the Indian manufacturer released the affordable XOLO A700 based on Mediatek's dual-core MT6577 chipset. This time around, Lava has unwrapped the dual-core handset's successor — the XOLO A800. This smartphone is also powered by dual-core processor clocked at 1 GHz, and 512 MB of RAM. It comes with an 8 mp rear and VGA front camera. Its 4.5" IPS screen has pixel dimensions of 960x540. The dual-SIM (GSM) handset runs Android 4.0 out of the box. The detailed list of features is as follows:

• 4.5" IPS touchscreen with 960x540 pixels, 16 million colours.
• Dual-SIM GSM (900, 1800, 2100 MHz).
• 1 GHz dual-core processor, 512 MB of RAM.
• Android 4.0 (ICS).
• 8 mp camera with an LED flash.
• Front 0.3 mp camera.
• 4 GB of internal storage, MicroSD card slot (supports up to 32 GB).
• Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 3.0, Assisted-GPS.
• 3.5 mm audio jack, Micro-USB 2.0.
• Ambient light sensor, Proximity sensor, Accelerometer.
• 1600 mAh battery.
• Package Contents: Charger, USB, 8 GB microSD card.

With a price tag of Rs 12,000, the Lava XOLO A800 will compete with the Micromax Superfone A110 that boasts of a bigger screen. That being said, the XOLO might edge past its competition in terms of performance. Since we haven't tested it yet, we wouldn't know that for sure.

SOURCE TECHTREE

Sony Rumored To Have “Yuga” Smartphone In The Works, Would Feature 128GB Of Storage And Samsung Quad-Core Processor

We now have some additional Sony news to share with you all. As previously indicated recently, we knew that Sony has at least one major flagship device that is in the works behind the scenes, though we couldn’t quite confirm what the expected specs would be— until now. Thanks to the gang at Phone Arena, we now know that Sony has named a mysterious device the C660X “Yuga”, which will be a 5-incher and be completely surrounded in Dragonglass glass panel (Dragonglass is similar to Corning’s Gorilla Glass). The news doesn’t stop there either— the upcoming device is reported to feature a specialized quad-core processor not from NVIDIA, Qualcomm or Mediatek— but rather the “Yuga” will feature a Samsung Exynos variant processor, which is a shocking departure from the normal processors that are used, but not completely unexpected considering we knew Samsung intends to have its processors all sorts of manufacturers’ smartphones. Additional details about the “Yuga” includes the following:

Samsung Exynos 5 Quad

3 GB
5 inch OLED display FHD
128GB ROM
16 megapixel
3000mAh battery
Water / Dust resistant
IR blaster

What’s unclear though is if this device will be identified as the Xperia 5 (or Xperia 6) or if it will be given some other name. Also, no one seems to know when this device is expected to be released– though we have a hunch we’ll see it in Q3 or Q4 of 2013. Still– we certainly know that Sony has some clear intentions on snagging a big share of the market place— and this device could certainly go a long way with achieving that goal. Stay tuned with Talk Android as we try to get further details of what could be a potentially game-changing device.

SOURCE TALKANDROID

Nokia Announces Budget Lumia 620 Handset

Nokia has announced its third Windows Phone 8 handset — the Lumia 620 — on its official blog. The device is similar to the mid-range Lumia 820, and it comes with changeable shells. The Lumia 620 has a 3.8" ClearBlack screen, and it is powered by a 1 GHz dual-core Snapdragon S4 processor and 512 MB of RAM. Here are the phone's specifications:

• Quad-band 3G (850 / 900 / 1900 / 2100 MHz); quad-band GSM (850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 MHz).
• 3.8" TFT WVGA ClearBlack screen with pixel dimensions of 480x800.
• 1 GHz Dual-Core Snapdragon S4 processor, 512 MB of RAM.
• 8 GB internal storage, 64 GB microSD card support.
• 5 megapixel rear camera with autofocus and LED flash; Video capture: HD 720p at 30fps.
• VGA front camera.
• NFC, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 3.0, A-GPS (Glonass).
• Micro-USB; 3.5mm audio connector
• 4.5" (l) x 2.4" (w) x 0.4" (11.02 mm) (d); weighs 127 grams. 

The camera remains in focus, as with other WP 8 Lumia devices. The 620 comes with Cinemagraph and Smart Shoot features to utilise the full potential of the 5 mp camera. The phone will be preloaded with Lumia-specific apps such as HERE maps and Nokia City Lens. Expected to go on sale by March 2013, the handset will be priced at around $249 (approx Rs13,700).

Aakash iTutor, An Android Tablet-Based Coaching Program

We have recently spoken about how mobile phones are being used as tools of education and how iDevices are being used in a school. With tablets proliferating in India, we expected these devices — with their larger screens, more appropriate for the purpose — to be used along such lines. Aakash Education Services has launched a coaching program that works on a 7" Android tablet bundled along with the course, called Aakash iTutor. This is in no way affiliated with the Aakash tablet; a coaching institute with that same name has been in existence for the past 17 years. The target audience for the iTutor course is students of standards VIII to XII who stay far from the class venues, and for whom this is a means of distance education. The coaching classes of the institute are located in and around Delhi.
Students from all over the country can enrol for the course, and get a 7" tablet with a customised version of Android 2.3.4 (Gingerbread) as part of the package included in the fees. (SMS AAKASH to 53030 or call 1800 102 2727 toll free for more information.) The tablet has Wi-Fi connectivity, and can also connect to the internet using a USB dongle. The customisation includes access to video lectures, self-study materials, self-assessment tools, a feedback mechanism, and other features to help study various subjects. It claims to provide the interactivity of a classroom. This needs to be taken with some healthy scepticism, because it is completely up to the student to participate; the teacher has no control.
The iTutor has the option to lock out entertainment features right at the start. However, a company representative told us that students can upgrade the software once they purchase the tablet, which pretty much means the lock is useless.
Overall, this is a positive step in the area of digital education. We'll be able to tell you more about iTutor once we receive the tablet for review. The video below should give you an idea about the programme.

Prices For iPad mini And iPad 4 In India Revealed

The 7.9" iPad mini and 9.7" 4th-gen iPad were launched with a lot of fanfare. They now seem all set to hit online stores in India. All the various versions of the iPad aren't visible yet, but the Wi-Fi only and the Wi-Fi + Cellular versions of the 16 GB iPad mini are listed on Saholic.com. They will be available for purchase after the 8th of this month. The Wi-Fi version is priced at Rs 21,900, while the Wi-Fi+3G version will cost you Rs 29,900. The 32 GB (Wi-Fi only: Rs 27,900; Wi-Fi + Cellular: Rs 35,900) and 64 GB versions (Wi-Fi only: Rs 33,900; Wi-Fi + Cellular: Rs 41,900) are expected to appear on the site soon.
Versions of the iPad 4 which will soon be available on Saholic.com include the 16 GB (Wi-Fi only: Rs 31,900; Wi-Fi + Cellular: Rs 39,900), 32 GB (Wi-Fi only: Rs 37,900; (Wi-Fi + Cellular: Rs 45,900), and the 64 GB (Wi-Fi only: Rs 43,900; Wi-Fi + Cellular: Rs 51,900).
For those who came in late, here are the specification lists for the two slates:
iPad mini:

• 7.9" LED backlit IPS panel with 1024x768 pixels; pixel density of 163 ppi.
• Apple A5 chipset, 1 GHz dual-core ARM Cortex-A9 CPU, PowerVR SGX543MP2 GPU, 512 MB of RAM.
• 5 mp rear auto-focus camera.
• 1.2 mp front-facing camera for FaceTime.
• 16 GB / 32 GB / 64 GB internal storage, No expansion slot.
• Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0, LTE connectivity (optional).
• Proprietary Lightning connector, 3.5 mm jack, Microphone.
• Three-axis gyro, Accelerometer, Ambient light sensor.
• 7.9" (l) x 5.3" (w) x 0.3" (7.2 mm) (d); weighs 308 grams.
• Available Colours: Black & slate, White & silver.
• Package Contents: Lightning to USB Cable, USB Power Adapter.

4th-gen iPad:

• 9.7" LED backlit IPS panel with 2048x1536 pixels; Pixel density of 264 ppi.
• Dual-core A6X with quad-core graphics.
• 5 mp rear auto-focus camera.
• 1.2 mp front-facing camera for FaceTime.
• 16 GB / 32 GB / 64 GB internal storage, No expansion slot.
• Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0, LTE connectivity (optional).
• Proprietary Lightning connector, 3.5 mm jack, Microphone.
• Three-axis gyro, Accelerometer, Ambient light sensor.
• 9.5" (l) x 7.3" (w) x 0.4" (7.4 mm) (d); weighs 652 grams.
• Available Colours: White, Black.
• Package Contents: Lightning to USB Cable, USB Power Adapter.

HTC Announces Android 4.0 HTC One SV With 4.3" Display

HTC has added another handset to its One series of smartphones. Dubbed the One SV, the phone sports a 4.3" Super LCD-2 display. It's powered by a dual-core Snapdragon S4 chipset clocked at 1.2 GHz. For photography, it comes with a 5 mp camera with LED flash. On the software front, HTC has decided to with Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich); we believe Jelly Bean would have been the right choice, though. The detailed specs are as below:

• 4.3" Super LCD-2 display with pixel dimensions of 480x800.
• Corning Gorilla Glass 2 protection.
• 1.2 GHz dual-core S4 chipset, 1 GB RAM.
• 5 mp rear camera, 1.6 mp front camera.
• 8 GB internal storage, MicroSD card slot (supports up to 32GB).
• Wi-Fi, NFC, Bluetooth, Assisted GPS.
• Android 4.0 (ICS) with HTC Sense UI.
• 1800 mAh battery.
• LTE support.

The handset looks a lot like the Desire SV, which hit the Indian market in November. The HTC One SV is expected to launch next month in the UK. According to Clove's (UK) listing, the phone is priced at £350 without contract, which translates to roughly Rs 30,000. However, considering that prices are higher in the UK for almost anything tech, you can expect the One SV to be priced at around Rs 25k in India.


source techtree

iPad mini out in India today, starting at Rs 21,900 only

The iPad mini and iPad 4th generation are all set to be launched in India tomorrow. Getty Images

The iPad mini and iPad 4th generation are all set to be launched in India today. And it seems that the price for the iPad mini isn’t so pricey after all, at least where the basic version is concerned. The new iPod touch is also out and it costs more than the mini !
According to this Tech2 report, the iPad mini’s 16GB Wi-Fi only version will cost Rs 21,900.
The 32GB and 64GB versions will be available for Rs 27,900 and Rs 33,900 respectively. The iPad mini Wi-Fi + Cellular version will come with a starting price at Rs 29,900 for the 16GB version, while the 32GB version will be available for Rs 35,900. iPad mini, the 64GB Wi-Fi + Cellular version, won’t come cheap with a starting price of Rs 41,900.
If the device is indeed priced at Rs 21,900 for the 16GB model, it will compete directly with the Nexus 7 which is priced below Rs 20,000. Remember Nexus 7 doesn’t have 3G or Cellular connectivity either.
The fourth generation, 9.7-inch iPad with the Wi-Fi only will start at Rs 31,900, the 32GB model at Rs 37,900, and the 64GB version at Rs 43,900.
The Wi-Fi + Cellular iPad 16GB version will start at Rs 39,900; the 32GB tablet will cost Rs 45,900; and the 64GB variant will cost Rs 51,900.
The fifth generation iPod touch is also out. And the price for that is Rs 23,900 for the 32 GB version while the 64 GB  version is available for Rs 30,900.

Newbie’s Guide to Rooting

Newbie's Guide to Rooting
If you're reading this article, chances are you're either already rooted or thinking about rooting your device. The thing with rooting is that instead of folks falling into two different camps, I believe there are three camps. In my opinion, we're either rooted, don't even want to think about rooting, or we're kind of intrigued by the idea but don't want to go through the hassle or risk of rooting our device. This guide is more for the latter. My intent is not to sway anyone one way or the other. This is simply to try to keep things simple, while providing resources and knowledge from first-hand experience, and enabling you to make your own informed decision. While I'm not going to walk you step-by-step on how to root your specific device (we'll be here forever going through each device); I will introduce you to the concept of rooting, reliable sources for reading, things to do before rooting, the benefits of rooting, and what to do after you're rooted. 

What is rooting? 
Rooting a device is simply the process of gaining full, privileged, or admin control of a device thus allowing 'root access' or 'superuser' permissions. The process itself basically exploits a security weakness on a device, and in simple terms, grants the user executable permissions that are not otherwise there with a non-rooted device. Once a device is rooted, the user has complete control of the device from files on the device to being able to perform additional tasks that will truly make your device your own.

What are the benefits of rooting? 
As mentioned above, rooting gives the user ultimate control over a device. Imagine for a second that you couldn’t access, alter, or delete a file or program on the PC/laptop that you own. That really doesn’t make much sense does it? Granted you could mess some things up if you're not careful, but you do have the right and are given that ability as the superuser or admin of your PC that you paid money for. You are the ‘root’ user of your PC or laptop. Now think, do you have complete control of the device that you’ve no doubt paid a lot of money for? If the manufacturer doesn’t limit what you can do on your laptop, why do phone manufacturers do it?

Beyond just the basic idea of knowing you have complete control of your device, rooting allows you to modify the phone to your liking. Do you hate all of that carrier 'bloat' that is preloaded on your device? Don’t just disable it, root it and get rid of it so you have more storage. Additionally, if you don't have a Google device, chances are you get updates later than when Google officially releases them – way later, since they then have to go through the carrier to be ‘massaged.’ When you're rooted, you can get those updates within a few days from developers that own your same device via a custom ROM. Speaking of custom ROMs, most ROMs include an option to tether. This is in fact a major reason why most go ahead and make the leap to root.
Other benefits include the ability to completely back up your system onto your SD card. This way if all else fails, you could boot into your recovery and load the backup that you have saved that is sitting on an external storage. Additionally, you can modify boot animations, fonts, and themes. No techie or coding experience is necessary. The beauty these days is that there are numerous apps that allow you to make these changes with a few selections of available options via the app(s).

Fact is, once you’ve made that leap to go ahead and root and you do a few things that aren’t normally 'allowed,' it can get addicting and you begin finding out what else you can do. It’s truly what Android is all about. For example, due to my phone being rooted, I'm able to run Android 4.2 with a phone that was released almost 2 ½ years ago. It was essentially abandoned by my carrier and Google regarding updates, but being rooted keeps it ‘alive.’ I don't get the newest features like Photo Sphere since my phone lacks a proper gyroscope, but I can run 4.2 while enjoying most of the other benefits. You shouldn’t feel like you need a new phone to enjoy new software. It's downright amazing what developers can pull off on older devices, and when you have root access, you can enjoy those benefits such as custom ROMs and kernels which make your device even better.

What are the risks of rooting? 
Okay, honestly this is what most of you want to know, right? I mean, if it were easy and there were no risks then everyone would be rooted. Aside from completely voiding your factory warranty, to be blunt, you can seriously mess up your phone – like to the point where you’ve made it into a glorified paperweight. That's the big risk. I know, it's a massive risk, but it's kind of along those lines of a risk that has to be pointed out like all the risks that go along with taking medicine. I mean it's a risk for me to drive to work each morning. It's a risk to fly. I could go on and on. However, it's more of a disclaimer than anything. These days, most devices are very easy to root. Also, keep in mind that the method(s) you run across to root your device has been done numerous times by countless others.
No technical knowledge is required for the most part – just basic computer knowledge if anything. I'm far from a 'techie type' but recently I sold a rooted device I had been using for the past year and began using my old device that wasn’t rooted (I hadn’t gotten the rooting bug when I used my previous device). In a matter of 15 minutes I was rooted without any prior knowledge of how to root that device. It's literally that easy, for the most part.  Rooting has come a long way since the first Android smartphone, and rooting a device usually only takes a few minutes once a little bit of homework on the user’s part is done.

Things to consider and/or to do before rooting 
So you know what rooting is, the benefits of it, and are aware of the risks. Now what? I'm not going to lie, there's going to be some work involved if you're new to this.

• I can't stress it enough: Google is going to be your friend. Search rooting your device. Do you have an older device? Maybe start with that one first. Then read, read, and read some more. Reading and doing your homework on your device prevents the risks we discussed earlier. The more you read, the more you'll know going in and what to expect.

• Stick to reputable websites that come up on your searches – ones you’ve probably already come in contact with before and visit frequently. When you run across terminology that you don't understand, read up on that also. You're essentially teaching yourself here.

• XDA is an excellent source and usually has everything you need in one place that's dedicated just for your phone. All of your questions have been asked and answered in there before, trust me. All you need to do is search. Granted it can be a little intimidating at first, but most forums for devices have a General section with a “Newb” thread, or two.

• Did I mention reading? I’ve found that if you read enough, most sites you visit about rooting your device will become repetitive. It's at that point that you should feel comfortable with what to expect in rooting your device.

• Have a 'backup' plan. What happens if you're not successful rooting your device? What if it 'hangs' in the process? If you don't know what to do, you didn’t read enough in the beginning. At the very least you should already have a backup saved of your stock ROM/OS. Additionally, you should know exactly how to recover that backup and/or your factory settings should something go wrong. Most phones have a fail-safe that you can enter to go back to stock, access a backup, etc. At the very least, you should have a backup created before you begin and you should know how to access your recovery mode as well as the steps to get you back up and running. Whenever I create a backup, I test that backup to see if it'll load properly.  After all, what good is a backup if it can't load? Yes, it's time consuming but you can't be too careful, and honestly, if you're not prepared to invest a little time, then rooting is probably not for you.

• Make sure you're looking at the most recent process to root your device.  When you search, filter by date and at least pull a set of instructions from the past few months, or the most recent you can find. Methods change over time, and often times those newer methods make it easier on the user to root. Make it easy on yourself and pull those latest instructions.

• Read all instructions carefully – very carefully. Do not assume anything if you're halfway knowledgeable in rooting. Read each step, and make sure it makes sense to you before you begin. Read the instructions multiple times and do each step one-at-a-time – slowly.

• Speaking of slowly – don't be in a hurry! It's not a race. I know the adrenaline can get going, but take your time and be thorough. Again, do each step slowly and read each step carefully. Also, finding a guide that includes pictures will help tremendously.

• Do your homework and read user comments. Most of the time, the steps you find to root your device will come in the form of a blog or forum. Read the posts under it. You'll be surprised at how much additional you'll learn from other users that are in the same situation as you – and reading those that are successful will give you confidence.

• Ask questions. The good thing about the Android Community is that most of us are willing to help each other out since we were once newbies. In those forums and blogs, ask questions. Most of the time you'll get a quick answer.

Yay! I'm rooted.  Now what? 
Let me just say this: If you don't know why you want to root, then you probably don't need to root. Read the section again about the benefits of rooting above, and do some research to make sure you know why you want to root.

• First thing's first – create a backup. You're rooted and up and running with no issues so create that backup. Most devices, upon root, will have a modified recovery system.  Know exactly how to access that system (you may have to search the exact way to access it) and get familiar with it. Once familiar, create a backup. Test that backup, and if it loads properly you can now proceed with having fun. Also keep in mind that when you change recoveries (usually going from stock to rooted), your backup you made on the previous recovery will not work on the new one.

• Know exactly how to access your recovery should you need to do so at any given time. This includes if the phone is off, or on. Also, some phones allow you to access what's called a 'Download Mode' which requires you to have your device plugged into a laptop or PC. This mode is then used to push an OS onto your device via your PC or laptop. Believe me, one day you'll have to use one of these types of recoveries. Scary, yes. But valuable that you'll be prepared.
• Read some more. Each phone is different, so read what's available to you now that your device is rooted. As mentioned, this could include custom ROMS and/or kernels that allow you to get better battery life and other nice features. Also check out the apps that will work for all rooted devices that allow you to make tweaks to your device mentioned earlier.
• Remember to not be in hurry with whatever you do with your phone once rooted. You have complete control and rights to everything on your phone, and one slip-up and it may not work properly.
• Spread the knowledge. Once you’ve learned the ropes, help others.

Summary 
Hopefully this guide has helped you become more comfortable with the process of rooting. Again, it's not meant to sway anyone in any matter. It should simply be used as a resource so you can make your own decision. There are many benefits of rooting, but if it's not worth the risk then you obviously shouldn’t do it. Good luck, and happy rooting.

Disclaimer: Talk Android cannot be held responsible if any damage is done to your device.

Glossary of Terms

Root – Admin access gained for a device or the process of gaining admin access for a device.
XDA (XDA-developers.com) – A website with very valuable information specific for your device in blog and forum format.
ROM – Essentially an operating system, including the kernel.
Kernel – Heart of the operating system. It keeps everything running.

Android Key Lime Pie

New cartoon by Google employee could hint at Android Key Lime Pie for next release

Android has come a long way in the last five years, and we have truly seen an evolution of the operating system. As a spoof of this concept, Google employee Manu Comet posted a little drawing to his Google Plus page.  In it we see our little green friend evolving from a weak, frail, hunched-over blob, into a happy, healthy, upright and robust robot. In each phase of the evolution process he is eating the dessert that coincided with that particular Android release. Most interestingly, the last evolutionary phase of the process has our little green friend eating a slice of Key Lime Pie (long speculated as the next release of Android). This is by no means an official confirmation from Google, but it is pretty strong evidence to that end.  We don’t know what kind of features we will find in Key Lime Pie, or how much of a jump it will be from 4.2, but seeing all the great new features Google has cooked up in each of its recent releases gives us hope that we have a lot to look forward to! Now the waiting game…

Samsung releases quad-core, dual screen flip phone designed for Jackie Chan

Remember that ridiculously overpowered Samsung flip phone? It was released earlier today in conjunction with a big charity concert for the launch. Oh, and Jackie Chan was there, too. He got one of the brand new phones for free. Unfortunately, you almost have to be Jackie Chan to afford the phone, as it’s rumored to be priced between ¥18,000 ($2,900) and ¥20,000 ($3,210). For that hefty price tag, you get Android 4.0, dual-3.7-inch 800 x 480 Super AMOLED touchscreens, a quad-core Exynos 4412 processor with 2 GB of RAM, 16 GB of internal memory and an 1850 mAh battery, plus the standard 8 megapixel rear camera and 1.9 megapixel front camera.
So who’s putting one of these on their Christmas list this year?

source: Engadget

Android 4.1 Samsung GALAXY S III mini With 4" Screen Available On eBay For Rs 27,000

For Samsung fandroids in India seeking a better-sized smartphone, the wait is finally over: The Samsung GALAXY S III mini is available on eBay.in. You'll be delighted to know that it comes with a one-year manufacturer's warranty, as you'd expect of an officially launched product. For the uninitiated, the SGS3 mini is a smaller version of Samsung's flagship product, the GALAXY S III. This shrunken-down handset is styled similarly to its elder sibling; it runs Android 4.1 (Jelly Bean) out of the box, and is powered by a 1 GHz dual-core CPU with 1 GB of RAM. The 4" Super AMOLED screen has pixel dimensions of 800x480. The handset has a 5 mp snapper with LED flash at the rear, along with a 0.3 mp front camera. The GALAXY S III mini weighs just 111.5 grams, and it's easier to handle compared with the GALAXY S III. NFC enables convenient transactions, while S Beam allows easy file transfer by simply tapping another compatible phone. Here is the specifications list:

• Quad-band 2G (GSM 850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz), Dual-band 3G (UMTS 900,2100 MHz); HSDPA 14.4 Mbps for 3G data transfer.
• Android 4.1 (Jelly Bean); TouchWiz UX.
• 4" Super AMOLED capacitive touchscreen with pixel dimensions of 800x480, 16 million colours.
• 1 GHz Cortex-A9 dual-core CPU, Mali-400MP, 1 GB RAM.
• 16 GB internal storage, 32 GB microSD card slot.
• 5 megapixel rear camera with flash, 720p@30fps video capture; 0.3 megapixel front camera.
• Wi-Fi hotspot, Wi-Fi Direct, DLNA, Stereo Bluetooth 4.0, Standard micro-USB port, GPS receiver with A-GPS and GLONASS, 3.5 mm audio jack, Stereo FM radio with RDS, NFC.
• Accelerometer, Gyroscope, Proximity sensor, Compass.
• Video Formats: MP4, DivX, XviD, WMV, H.264, H.263.
• Audio Formats: MP3, WAV, eAAC+, AC3, FLAC.
• 4.8" (l) x 2.5" (w) x 0.4" (9.85 mm) (d), weighs 111.5 grams.
• 1500 mAh Li-ion battery.

The handset comes bundled with Samsung-specific features including S Voice (voice recognition), Smart Stay (camera intelligently tracks your eyes and keeps screen on while under gaze), Direct Call (automatically dials when you lift the phone to the ear), and Smart Alert (notifies you about missed calls or messages when phone is picked up).
Launched in Germany last month, the S III mini was expected to be sell primarily in Europe. We like the fact that it's available here: Holding a typical phablet to the ear for long can not only tire your arm, it's also likely to make you the laughing stock of your colleagues!
On eBay.in, the S III mini is selling for Rs 27,000 with free shipping all over India. This, incidentally, is not much more than the Rs 25,000 we predicted. Which is around half the cost of the SGS3, so the question is — is the S III mini the poor man's SGS3? Comment below!

source tech tree

Android 4.1 Swipe Velocity Tab With 8" HD IPS Screen Launched For Rs 11,500

UPDATE: The Swipe Velocity Tab can be purchased on eBay.

Looks like the iPad mini has a domestic competitor. At least that's what Swipe is trying to convince us with its new Velocity Tab, which has been launched with the latest Android 4.1 (Jelly Bean). The slate sports an 8" IPS screen with 5-point capacitive multi-touch; it has pixel dimensions of 1024x768. Powered by a dual-core 1.6 GHz CPU and 1 GB of RAM, its 8 GB of internal storage can be augmented by up to 32 GB via the microSD card slot. It comes with a rear 2 mp and front 1.3 mp camera for imaging. HDMI-Out allows Full HD (1080p) content playback on a big screen. In addition to Wi-Fi, you can use 3G dongles for internet connectivity. Swipe claims that the tab can work for up to 12 hours without recharging, courtesy its 4500 mAh battery. Here are the specifications of the device:

• Android 4.1.1 (Jelly Bean), Google Play, Adobe Flash 11.1, Olive Office Premium.
• 8", 5-point multi-touch capacitive IPS screen with pixel dimensions of 1024x768.
• ARM Cortex-A9 dual-core 1.6 GHz CPU, 1 GB of DDR3 RAM.
• 8 GB internal storage, Up to 32 GB supported via microSD.
• 2 megapixel rear and 1.3 megapixel front camera.
• HDMI-Out (Full HD), USB with OTG support, 3.5 mm stereo connector, Stereo speakers.
• Wi-Fi 802.11 b\g\n, External 3G dongle supported.
• Face Unlock secure login.
• 8.2" (l) x 6.4" (w) x 0.4" (10.5 mm) (d), 330 grams.
• 4500 mAh battery that provides up to 12 hours backup.
• Package Contents: Tablet, OTG cable, USB cable, AC power adapter, Warranty card, Service centre list, User manual.

The comparison that Swipe makes of its tablet with the new iPad mini seems favourable, at least on paper. The screen sizes and pixel dimensions are similar, and so is the 5-point capacitive multi-touch functionality. The dimensions and weight are also very much the same. Ecosystem-wise, the iPad mini has the iTunes App store with the largest number of apps, while the Velocity Tab boasts of Google Play, which is fast catching up. However, the Velocity Tab, to its advantage, has a faster CPU and twice as much RAM — in addition to support for 3G dongles and USB peripherals, not to forget mass storage convenience when connected to a PC, for easy data transfer. The claimed battery life of the Swipe tablet is also 2 hours longer than that of Apple's tablet.
That said, the iOS 6 experience still has an edge over Android, which is probably one of the major factors that the iPad mini has in its favour. However, the deal-breaker for the iPad mini is that it (unofficially) costs over twice as much as the Swipe Velocity Tab.
With a price tag of Rs 11,500, the Swipe Velocity Tab currently doesn't seem to have a worthy Android competitor in its price range, but we can expect Droid clones to pop up, as they usually do. Do you think the price for this tablet is justified? If not, what do you think the price should be?

Zen Launches Android 2.3 Ultraphone U1 With 3.5" Screen For Rs 5000

Domestic handset manufacturer Zen has released an entry-level smarphone, the Ultraphone U1. With this launch, the company now has three handsets in its Android portfolio. This dual-SIM (GSM + GSM) handset is powered by a 1 GHz processor and has 512 MB of RAM. Apart from that, it features a 3.5" capacitive touchscreen, 3.2 mp camera, and Wi-Fi connectivity. On the software front, it features the relatively outdated Android 2.3 (Gingerbread) — a proper turn off for Android fans. Here's the complete list of features:

• 3.5" multi-touch capacitive screen.
• 3.2 mp camera with LED flash.
• 1 GHz CPU, 512 MB of RAM.
• Wi-Fi, Bluetooth with A2DP support.
• 512 MB internal memory, MicroSD card slot expandable up to 32 GB.
• Android 2.3 (Gingerbread).
• Dual-SIM (GSM + GSM), Supports EDGE, No 3G.
• 1200 mAh Li-ion battery.
• Accelerometer, Proximity Sensor, Gyro.

According to Zen, the handset comes pre-installed with Skype, Facebook, G-talk, Whatsapp, GaneshSpeaks (an astrology app), nexGTV, and MapMyIndia (mapping software). Going by the pics we have, the phone looks much like the recently unveiled Lava Iris N350. Also, there's hardly any difference between the spec sheets.
At Rs 5000, the Ultraphone U1 is Rs 500 cheaper than Lava's offering.

iPad mini Teardown: Should It Really Cost This Much ?

For those of you wondering just how much of the money you pay for your gadgets goes towards the actual hardware, here are some new figures. Case in point: The new iPad mini is estimated to cost Apple about $188 (Rs 10,300), which is 57% of the selling price of $330 (Rs 18,000). A report by IHS (previously known as the teardown website iSuppli) has revealed this number, taking only hardware costs into consideration. Of course, there's very significant investment that companies like Apple and Microsoft make in supply chains, extensive testing (despite which bugs show up now and then), OS development, industrial design, etc. Marketing spends are another expense for the biggies (which don't translate to the ownership experience, but that's another discussion for another day).  As reported on WSJ.com, the above mentioned figures are for base model with Wi-Fi and 16 GB storage: The 32 GB and 64 GB variants increase cost to the manufacturer by $31 (Rs 1700) and $62 (Rs 3400) respectively.
The report also looks at the internals of the Microsoft Surface and Amazon Kindle Fire HD tablets. Parts for the 32 GB Surface tablet, which is priced at $500 (Rs 27,000), have been estimated to cost $271 (about Rs 14,600) — that's about 54% of the selling price. The add-on Touch Cover available for $120 (Rs 6500) probably costs $16 (Rs Rs 900) to make. The other device featured in the teardown is the Amazon Kindle Fire HD 16 GB that is said to cost $165 (Rs 9000) to manufacturer, while its cost is only $200 (Rs 10,800), which makes the Kindle Fire HD the one earning least profits per piece sold for the manufacturer (Kindle ebooks can be a revenue soruce for Amazon though).
Elaborating on the iPad mini, the report further reveals the names of manufacturers who supply parts for the iPad mini.

• The 7.9" display is said to be manufactured by LG Display and AU Optronics and costs about $80 (Rs 4300).
• The A5 processor is from rival Samsung, while memory chips have been sourced from various other manufacturers including Hynix.
• The audio chip is provided by Cirrus Logic.
• Accelerometer comes from STMicroelectronics.
• Wireless chips have been sourced by Broadcom made using wireless chips that were assembled into the wireless module by Murata.

 

If you have read this far, you are probably wondering more now than before, whether the price of some of the premium gadgets is worth the money or not. More so, considering products from lesser known manufacturers with similar form factors and computational power are available for less than just the hardware cost of these premium devices. If a well speced 7" Android tablet costs Rs 10,000 (that's a safe estimate), just how much extra are you willing to pay for a better screen resolution and few lesser bugs? Let us know through the comments.

HTC Launches Dual-SIM Android 4.0 Based Desire SV With 4.3" Screen For Rs 22,600

This week, HTC introduced its Android flagship phone One X+ and Windows Phone 8 devices 8X and 8S in India. The company seems to be on a handset-launching spree, as it has now brought out the mid-range Desire SV. This Android 4.0.4 (Ice Cream Sandwich) smartphone comes with a 4.3" Super LCD 2 screen with pixel dimensions of 480x800. The device packs in a 1 GHz dual-core CPU with 768 MB of RAM. The internal storage is, however, a paltry 4 GB, although you can add up to 32 GB to it via the microSD card slot. It comes with dual-SIM GSM capability and features micro-SIM slots. The 8 mp camera comes with autofocus and LED flash, along with Backside Illumination (BSI) sensor for better low-light shots. The smartphone also uses VideoPic that allows photo capture during video recording, and Smart Flash to achieve five levels of flash intensities automatically set by distance to the subject being photographed. As usual the device comes with Beats Audio integration. Let's take a detailed look at the technical specifications below:

• Android 4.0.4 (Ice Cream Sandwich) with Sense UI.
• Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 1 GHz dual-core processor with 768 MB of RAM.
• 8 megapixel camera with auto focus, LED flash, and BSI sensor (for better low-light captures), F2.2 aperture and 28 mm lens, WVGA video recording.
• Dual-SIM, 2G GSM\GPRS\EDGE: 850\900\1800\1900 MHz; 3G HSPA\WCDMA: 900\2100 MHz.
• 4.3" Super LCD 2 with display with 480x800 pixel dimensions.
• Bluetooth 4.0 with aptX enabled, Wi-Fi 802.11 b\g\n with hotspot and tethering, GPS, Beats Audio.
• 3.5 mm stereo audio jack.
• Internal storage of 4 GB and expansion card slot for microSD cards.
• G-Sensor, Proximity sensor, Ambient light sensor.
• Audio Formats: Playback: AAC, AMR, OGG, M4A, MID, MP3, WAV, WMA (Windows Media Audio 9); Recording: AMR.
• Video Formats: Playback: 3GP, 3G2, MP4, WMV (Windows Media Video 9), AVI (MP4 ASP and MP3); Recording: MP4.
• 1620 mAh Li-ion battery with unspecified backup time.
• 5.1" (l) x 2.67" (w) x 0.42" (11 mm) (d) inches and weighs 131 grammes with battery.

As an additional offer, HTC is providing 25 GB of Dropbox space free for two years. Expected to be available in India over the next couple of weeks, the device is priced at Rs 22,600, which is rather steep for a mid-range handset.

HTC Windows Phone 8X And 8S Launched In India, Prices Start From Rs 19,500

Announced in September, HTC's Windows Phone 8X and 8S have finally hit the Indian market. Out of the two, the 8X is the company's flagship Windows Phone device that will compete with the Nokia Lumia 920 and Samsung's Ativ S. On the other hand, the 8S is a likely competitor of the Lumia 820.
According to HTC, its colourful phones have been inspired by the Windows Phone OS. Strangely, the Taiwanese manufacturer has been making WP devices for about two years now, which makes me wonder why it didn't release a single colourful device — until Nokia did so with its Lumia series. For those who joined in late, here are the specs for HTC's "signature" WP8 phones:

Windows Phone 8X

• 4.3" Super LCD 2 screen with 720p screen protected by Gorilla Glass 2.
• Qualcomm Snapdradon S4 chipset (1.5 GHz dual-core CPU, Adreno 225 GPU); 1 GB of RAM.
• 8 mp autofocus camera with LED flash.
• Camera Features: BSI sensor (for better low-light captures), F2.0 aperture, 28 mm lens.
• 2.1 mp wide angle (88°) front facing camera.
• Wi-Fi, NFC, Bluetooth 2.1, GPS (GLONASS).
• Internal storage: 16 GB, Lacks MicroSD card slot.
• 5.2" (l) X 2.6" (w) x 0.4" (10.12 mm) (d); weighs 130 grammes.
• Microsoft Windows Phone 8.
• Supported Audio: AAC, AMR, M4A, MP3, WAV, ASF, WMA (version 9 and 10).
• Supported Video: 3GP, 3G2, MP4, M4V, ASF, WMV (version 9 and 10); recording: MP4.
• GSM/GPRS/EDGE (850/900/1800/1900 MHz); 3G (850/900/1900/2100 MHz).
• G-Sensor, Digital compass, Proximity sensor, Ambient light sensor.
• 1800 mAh Li-ion battery.
• Available Colours: California Blue, Graphite Black, Flame Red, and Limelight Yellow.

Windows Phone 8S

• 4" super LCD touch screen with WVGA resolution and Gorilla Glass protection.
• 1 GHz dual-core Qualcomm S4 processor with 512 MB of RAM.
• 5 mp autofocus camera with LED flash.
• Camera Features: F2.8 aperture and 35 mm lens capable of 720p video recording; Lacks front camera.
• 3.5 mm stereo audio jack, Bluetooth 2.1, Wi-Fi, GPS antenna with GLONASS.
• 16 GB of internal storage, microSD card slot for additional storage.
• Measures 4.7" (l) x 2.5"(w) x 0.4" (10.28 mm) (d) and weighs 113 grammes.
• GSM\GPRS\EDGE (850\900\1800\1900 MHz); 3G (Europe\Asia: 900\2100 MHz).
• G-Sensor, Proximity sensor and Ambient light sensor.
• 1700mAh rechargeable Li-ion Polymer battery.
• Available colours: Blue, Yellow \ Grey, White \ Black, Red.

The Windows Phone 8X and 8S by HTC will be available in coming weeks in India. The Windows Phone 8X is priced at Rs 35,000 while the Windows Phone 8S will cost around Rs 19,500. Do you plan to buy one of these or wait for the Lumias?

Windows Phone 8X (L) and 8S (R) by HTC.

Microsoft launches Halo 4 at Rs 3,299 for Xbox 360

Halo 4 is out. Image from Tech2.in.com

“Master Chief” springs back into action on Tuesday with the release of Microsoft Corp’s Halo 4, the latest installment of the Xbox blockbuster that will compete with Activision Blizzard’s Call of Duty franchise for holiday-season bragging rights.
The game was also launched in India last night.  According to Tech2,  Halo 4 will be available at retail stores across India on Tuesday, 6th November. The Halo 4 Standard Edition is for Rs 3,299 and Limited Edition for Rs 4,599. 
Microsoft hopes the return of the laconic green-armored super-soldier protagonist of Halo, which has generated $3 billion of revenue since its 2001 launch, after a five-year hiatus will bring out gamers in droves when the title begins selling in more than 40 countries starting midnight.
The Halo series, made by Microsoft Game Studios, spearheaded the company’s foray into gaming that began with the 2001 launch of the first Xbox. It has sold more than 46 million copies to date and helped the console lead the market ahead of Sony’sPlaystation and Nintendo’sWii.
It remains to be seen if the well-reviewed game can revive flagging videogame sales or surpass Call of Duty: Black Ops 2, which goes on sale next week and will vie for the title of 2012′s top-selling game. The first-person shooter series is now the biggest title on the Xbox.
Nintendo is also selling its new Wii U console, featuring a companion tablet controller, over the holidays. Microsoft’s rival Activision Blizzard is set to release a dedicated Wii U version for its “Call of Duty: Black Ops 2″ title when the new console hits stores on November 18.
“Because there hasn’t been a game to star “Master Chief” for five years, there’s a bit of a pent-up demand,” said Ryan McCaffrey, Xbox Executive editor at videogame website IGN.com.
“Call of Duty has taken over as the most popular game on the Xbox, so I think it will be very close,” he added.
In Halo 4, “Master Chief” deals out death and destruction to evil aliens while embarking on a quest to save his longtime friend and artificial-intelligence construct Cortana.
Microsoft, which has high hopes for the latest Halo, is pulling out the stops. Halo: Reach, the fourth game in the series sans Master Chief, was launched in September 2010 and raked in $200 million in global sales on launch-day.
The company is hosting marquee events in cities from Seattle and Berlin to London – where the company will stage an as-yet-undisclosed stunt on the Thames river.
Microsoft also held a massive launch event last week in the small country of Liechtenstein in Europe. Some historic landmarks and the countryside of the 62-square mile nation was transformed into a futuristic Halo-like universe and reporters were allowed to test the game.
GameStop Corp , the largest US chain, is also planning midnight events.
With less than 12 hours before the title’s launch, GameStop spokeswoman Wendy Dominguez said fans had begun lining up outside a handful of stores, including at their Flower Mound, Texas outlet. Some dressed in Halo costumes.
“They’ve either pre-ordered Halo or they’re waiting to get their hands on a copy and they’re pretty excited about it,” Dominguez said.

Apple iPhone 5 16 GB Available For Preorder At Saholic.com

The wait is over. Saholic.com has put up the Apple iPhone 5 for pre-order. The iOS 6 smartphone is available in two colour schemes — white and black — and with internal storage capacities of 16, 32, and 64 GB. The website says you'll get a proper bill, and that your iPhone will come with a 12-month manufacturer's warranty. That means this is an official sale. Saholic will ship to most parts of India within two weeks of payment. While the 16 GB version is already listed for Rs 45,500, an inside source has confirmed that the 32 GB and 64 GB variants will be up in the next few days. These will be priced at Rs 52,500 and Rs 59,500 respectively. Here are the specifications of the iPhone 5:

• 4" Retina display with 1136x640 pixels at 326ppi, 16:9 aspect ratio, Pixel density of 326 ppi, Fingerprint-resistant oleophobic coating.
• 8 megapixel auto focus camera with LED flash.
• Camera Features: 1080p video recording, Panorama, Face detection, Video stabilization, Geo-tagging.
• 1.2 mp front camera.
• A6 chipset, twice as fast as A5 (according to Apple).
• Dual-band Wi-Fi with AirPlay support, Bluetooth 4.0, Assisted GPS with GLONASS.
• Supported Audio: AAC, MP3, AAX, AAX+, AIFF, WAV.
• Supported Video: H.264, MP4, MOV.
• 16 GB \ 32 GB \ 64 GB internal storage.
• Proprietary Lightning connector.
• Three-axis gyro, Accelerometer, Proximity sensor, Ambient light sensor, Digital compass.
• Lithium-ion battery with 8 hours of talk time and 225 hours of standby time on 3G, 10 hours of video playback, 40 hours of music playback.
• 4.8" (l) x 2.3" (w) x 0.3" (7.6 mm) (d), 112 grams.
• iOS 6 enhanced for bigger screen.
• LTE support, uses nano-SIM card.

The iPhone 5 has been the most anticipated smartphone from Apple, breaking the US sales records that its predecessor set. There is little doubt that this will be replicated in India, considering the amount of interest the affluent have shown.
Will you be getting one for yourself? What capacity and colour? Leave your comments below!

SOURCE TECHTREE

Android 4.0 BSNL Penta T-Pad WS702C With 7" Screen

 

ICS-based slate sports 2G GSM SIM, dual cameras, 8 GB internal strorage, and supports 3G dongles. 

State-owned telecom operator BSNL has launched the Penta T-Pad WS702C tablet, manufactured by Pantel Technologies. This one runs Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich), and sports a 7" multi-touch capacitive screen with pixel dimensions of 1024x600 — which is great for the size. A 2G GSM SIM slot supports BSNL SIMs for voice and data. Powered by a 1.2 GHz CPU and a Mali-400 GPU, the Penta T-Pad WS702C comes with 1 GB of DDR3 RAM. Pantel states"built-in 3D acceleration graphics capability" as a USP, but nothing in the spec sheet points to an extra feature to this effect. Here are the tablet's specifications:

• 7" capacitive multi-touch screen with 1024x600 pixels.
• 1.2 GHz Cortex-A8 CPU, Mali-400 GPU, 1 GB DDR3 RAM.
• Android 4.0 (ICS).
• 8 GB of internal storage, 32 GB microSD card slot.
• 2 mp rear camera and 0.3 mp front camera.
• BSNL 2G SIM, mini-USB port with support for external 2G and 3G dongles (GSM + CDMA), HDMI-Out, 3.5 mm jack, Wi-Fi.
• 4000 mAh battery with 6 hours of backup.
• Package Contents: USB cable, Charger, User manual.

USB-OTG functionality allows you to connect PC peripherals (keyboard, mouse, USB storage devices, and dongles). HDMI-Out enables sending images and videos to a larger HD screen. We don't know if the tablet supports Google Play store, but we're guessing it won't.
The BSNL Penta T-Pad 702C comes at an MRP of Rs 7500, which is a really great price for the features on offer. The real USPs of the tablet is clearly its high-res screen and 2G SIM connectivity option — a combination almost impossible to find in this price range.

 

SOURCE TECH TREE

Zync Launches 9.7" Z1000 Tablet With Voice Calling

 

Android 4.0 slate features a 1.5 GHz CPU, 2 mp camera, and mini-HDMI port. 

Domestic tablet manufacturer Zync has added another Android device to its lineup. The Z1000 sports a 9.7" screen, and features Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) out of the box. It is expected to receive the Android 4.1 (Jellybean) update "in the coming months". The Z1000 offers 3G connectivity and voice calling via a SIM slot. It is powered by a 1.5 GHz CPU, and has 1 GB of RAM. The tablet packs in a 0.3 mp front camera plus a 2 mp rear camera. Here's the detailed list of features:

• 9.7" multi-touch screen with 1024x768 pixels.
• 1.5 GHz ARM Cortex A8 processor, Mali-400 GPU, 1 GB of RAM.
• 2.0 mp rear camera, 0.3 mp front camera.
• 8 GB of internal storage, MicroSD card slot (up to 32 GB supported).
• Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 2.1, 3G.
• Mini-HDMI, MicroUSB port, SIM slot (voice calls supported).
• Android 4.0 (ICS), Upgradeable to Jelly Bean.
• Accelerometer, Orientation sensor.
• 7000 mAh Li-ion battery.

The Zync Z1000 cost around Rs 11,000 and comes with freebies including a Lycra pouch, screen protector, earphones, and a one-month subscription to BIGFLIX. Going by just the specs, the tablet seems to have all essential features covered. I think the price is fair, considering that it offers phone functionality. Let's hope Zync's new tablet will be better than previous attempts!
 

 

SOURCE TECH TREE

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4.0" WVGA Super AMOLED Display

1GHz Dual-Core Processor.

Android 4.1.

5MP Rear Camera With LED Flash & VGA Front Camera.

WiFi a/b/g/n, WiFi HT40.

GPS/GLONASS.

NFC.

Bluetooth 4.0.

121.55x63x9.85mm, 111.5 g.

1,500 mAh Battery.

Price Not Declared.

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iBall launches Andi 4.3j, a dual-battery Android smartphone for Rs. 9,499

The latest addition to iBall's Andi-smartphone series comes in the form of the Andi 4.3j. The device is the first dual battery smart phone to be launched in the Indian market, priced at Rs. 9,499.

the stylish looking device sports a 4.3-inch capacitive display and runs on Android Gingerbread (v2.3). It is powered by a 1GHz ARM Cortex A9 processor and boasts Wi-Fi, GPRS, Bluetooth and 3G capabilities as well.

The key highlight of this phone is the dual-battery feature that combines a 1,630-mAh and 900-mAh measure totalling a capacity of 2,530 mAh, which may come as a boon for travellers and gamers alike. iBall Andi 4.3j also flaunts dual-SIM (dual standby) capabilities.

Commenting on the launch of Andi 4.3j, Sandeep Parasrampuria-Director, iBall said, "We are excited to launch for the first time in India a dual Battery smart phone. Battery backup is the major problem to the smart phone users. Realizing the high utility of smart phones, long hour chatting and longer browsing we have launched this stylish dual battery phone to provide unhindered and seamless usage."

Current offerings from iBall include the recenty launched Andi 5c, dual-SIM Andi 3e and Andi 4d and Andi 2. Within its category, the Andi 4.3j is competing with the just launched the Sony Xperia tipo, Micromax A90 and the Spice Stellar Horizon.

Andi 4.3j key specifications

• Android2.3
• 4.3-inch capacitive touch display
• 1GHz ARM Cortex A9 processor
• 2,350mAh battery (1,630-mAh + 900-mAh)
• Wi-Fi, GPRS, EDGE, Bluetooth,3G
• Dual-SIM (Dual standby)

Rumour: Apple iPad mini Will Launch On 17th October

If rumours are to be believed, the iPad mini will be unveiled later this month. A "major Apple investor" has spoken on condition of anonymity to Fortune.com, claiming that the company has already prepared invitations slated to be mailed to the press on 10th October. If that is true, the shrunk-down version of the tablet could be unveiled a week later on 17th October, while the launch could happen on 2nd November. While the source claimed the information came from "multiple sources", it may be just another of those speculations about the device, which have been in circulation since early this year.
The downsized version of the new iPad will reportedly sport a 7.85" screen, as against the 9.7" panel of its big brother. Other details are not known, although it has been said that the new device will not come with a Retina display featured in current iDevices. It will probably have a nano-SIM slot, anodised aluminium casing, thin bezel, the proprietary Lightning port, and iOS 6. The late Steve Jobs had categorically rejected the idea of a smaller device a couple of years ago, but the success of 7" Android slates in capturing the small tablet market might have prompted Apple to reconsider its decision. An earlier report had stated that the iPad mini could be priced in the range of $250 (approx Rs 13,000) to $300 (Rs 15,500), which seems rather low considering Apple's high quality standards. In any case, this news should be taken with the usual high doses of salt.
What do you think should be ideal price of the iPad mini? Let us know in the comments below.

A mock-up of what the iPad mini might look like.